The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-04-17
A BOARD OF TRADE.
A Necessity for the Future Prosperity of
the Gem City.

A Necessity for the Future Prosperity of
the Gem City.
In long talk with one of our prom
inent business men yesterday after
noon, a PALATKA NEWS reporter gath
cred some valuable suggestions that will
prove of great interest to the citizens of
Palatka if they are taken up and adopted.
Palatka, said he, has a better geo
graphical position for a prosperous COM
mercial city than any of her rivals, being
accessible from all parts of the state by
water or rail, but for the lack of well or
ganized and united action on the part of
our citizens, we are not reaping the full
benefit that should accrue from our
many natural advantages. These facts
should be kept before the public at all
times, and there should be a concerted
effort on the part of thelcitizens to pre-
sent all our attractions to the world, so
that capital and immigration may be at
tracted thither. His idea is that Board
of Trade, composed of all our business
men, merchants, mechanics, lawyers,
and in fact every man doing business in
town, could act in harmony and as a
body follow the hints above given.
The towns of Sanford, Orlando,
Tampa, Daytona, Brooksville, Barlow
and many others are taking steps to be
represented at the great Sub-Tropical
Exposition to be held in Jacksonville
next winter Palatka should also be rep
resented, but in the absence of any
ganized body to take hold of the matter
the efforts of individual citizens result in
waste of energy. This question should
be taken hold of by the Board of Trade.
The matter of sewerage, of such vital
importance to every citizen and the
future prosperity Of the city, will come
before the people for their verdict during
the year He is of the opinion that if
this question is left for the City Council
alone to handle, the whole thing will be
repudiated when a vote is taken. This
question alone, he thinks, Is of sufficient
importance to authorize the organization
| of Board of Trade, which could 50 dis
| cuss and explain it as to insure its prac-
| teal acceptance by the voters. And
this is work that demands immediate at
tention.
Then the question of paving and ex-
tending Lemon street to the river
should be agitated. This is of absolute
| necessity, for we have no public water
front. The city can get the right of way
to the river at comparatively small ex-
pense, and public market house, AMI
other improvements made. We also
want street railroad, and shade and
ornamental trees planted along the
streets. The question of bridging the
st. Johns river at this point is ripe for
Enlistment of wholesale dry goods and
grocery houses must be effected by next
season. The Board of Trade, represent
ing the business interests of the city, could
take all these plans in hand, and by
proper committee work, do a great deal
towards making them successful.
There is no denying, said he, that the
Jacksonville Board of Trade has made
that city, and is to-day one of the most
powerful and harmonious organizations
in the South, and never loses an oppOr-
tunity to- further the interests of that
city. A similar organization, represent
ing every branch of trade, and fostering
all the industries of the city, can do the
same thing for Palatka. 1t could adver-
tise the city, invite capital and care for
and show visitors the many advantages
Palatka possesses, which cannot be
found in other cities
There is some individual effort being
made to do all these things. but one man
is only one man, and cannot carry the
weight of an organized body of earnest
business men. OF course the Board of
Trade should not do all these things at
once, but taking up these public ques-
| tiOns as they arise, one at time, WON
ders can be accomplished.
The gentleman talked of many other
good points that could be discussed with
great profit to Palatka, and later we
hope to get his views in full on these
points. He has large interests in Palat-
ka, and is wide wake to the interests
| of the city.